Jeers for Monday, Nov. 19, 2012

Monday

Nov 19, 2012 at 2:00 AM

JEERS: To New York legislators who still can't get around to doing something about all the crooked officials who come out of prison to a nice life on a public pension. The latest example is Comptroller Alan Hevisi, released on parole after not enough time in prison for the part he played in one of the worst corruption scandals in a state that has had a few — the one involving the state pension fund. When he takes a cab to meet with his parole officer, he'll be able to leave a nice tip, since he will be collecting $168,000 a year from two public pensions. To the 13 gas stations in New York City and some suburbs who took advantage of the crisis created by Superstorm Sandy and tried to gouge their customers by raising the price of gasoline. Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has notified the 13 that they are about to feel something even more stinging than the scowls of people who know they are being taken — the full force of the state government to enforce the laws. At a time when so many were in such need and so many others rallied to help, those who saw the opportunity to make money off the misery of others need some sort of special punishment — a prominent label, the commercial equivalent of a scarlet letter, so that when motorists do have a choice, they can choose to avoid those stations. To Mayor Gordon Jenkins of Monticello, who needs to stay home where there is real work to be done. Following his good-will trip to Ghana over the summer, the mayor once again got his passport stamped — this time on a journey to help encourage businesses in China to relocate to the Catskills. His travel partner on the first trip, village Trustee T.C. Hutchins, was not able to travel because he was in court, being charged with criminal activity involving a hiring scheme. Most mayors take care of business before going off on such journeys, and the need to attend to the business of the Village of Monticello has never been more obvious to everyone — everyone, that is, except the mayor.

JEERS: To New York legislators who still can't get around to doing something about all the crooked officials who come out of prison to a nice life on a public pension. The latest example is Comptroller Alan Hevisi, released on parole after not enough time in prison for the part he played in one of the worst corruption scandals in a state that has had a few — the one involving the state pension fund. When he takes a cab to meet with his parole officer, he'll be able to leave a nice tip, since he will be collecting $168,000 a year from two public pensions. To the 13 gas stations in New York City and some suburbs who took advantage of the crisis created by Superstorm Sandy and tried to gouge their customers by raising the price of gasoline. Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has notified the 13 that they are about to feel something even more stinging than the scowls of people who know they are being taken — the full force of the state government to enforce the laws. At a time when so many were in such need and so many others rallied to help, those who saw the opportunity to make money off the misery of others need some sort of special punishment — a prominent label, the commercial equivalent of a scarlet letter, so that when motorists do have a choice, they can choose to avoid those stations. To Mayor Gordon Jenkins of Monticello, who needs to stay home where there is real work to be done. Following his good-will trip to Ghana over the summer, the mayor once again got his passport stamped — this time on a journey to help encourage businesses in China to relocate to the Catskills. His travel partner on the first trip, village Trustee T.C. Hutchins, was not able to travel because he was in court, being charged with criminal activity involving a hiring scheme. Most mayors take care of business before going off on such journeys, and the need to attend to the business of the Village of Monticello has never been more obvious to everyone — everyone, that is, except the mayor.